Arts & Life

Pug Crawl 2013: Night Of The Living Pugs

Last weekend, lots of pugs dressed in their best zombie-themed outfits — with quite a few creative variations — invaded a street in Northwest Portland, entertaining a host of humans and their four-legged friends.

The highlight of the event was the Parade of Pugs. Spectators watched as approximately 80 pugs and humans walked the runway to compete in the “Night of the Living Pugs” costume contest.

Helga and her owner Gretchen Fersch

Kayo Lackey/OPB

Five-year-old Helga, as “Reemergence,” won the contest with her owner Gretchen Fersch.

“I learned the theme of the event and it took me a while to think of it [Helga’s costume],” said Fersch. “I did not want her to look like a zombie, so I decided [to have] the zombie coming out of her, so I did not have to make her look gross.”

According to David Lytle, public affairs manager for OHS, the Pug Crawl was first started by a small group of pug lovers 13 years ago who went from pub to pub with their pugs. Now it has become a big event attracting roughly 1,000 people and 600 pugs each year.

“It was another great Pug Crawl that shows how passionate pug owners are about their pets,” said Lytle.